Software gains design and manufacturing options

The latest version of the ArtCAM Pro package for the engraving and woodworking industries features a range of enhancements for both the design and manufacture of artistic shapes.

Delcam has launched an upgraded version of its ArtCAM Pro software for the engraving and woodworking industries.

ArtCAM Pro 7 features a range of enhancements for both the design and manufacture of artistic shapes.

The software is already used in a wide range of engraving and woodworking applications, including the manufacture of jewellery, coins and medals, and the production of signs, furniture and architectural decoration.

This latest release is expected to consolidate the software's leading position in all these applications The most impressive of the new design options is the envelope distortion tool.

This offers many ways to manipulate an existing relief by stretching or bending the envelope within which it is contained.

For example, the envelope could be made narrower at one end to give the visual effect of perspective to a relief.

Similarly, the relief can be fitted to a curve by bending the overall shape of the design.

The same technique can be used to place a specific number of reliefs within a certain length, by squeezing or stretching the shape to give an exact fit.

This will be of great benefit for any kind of repeating design, which needs to be customised to a particular size, such as decoration for bracelets, rings, architectural parts, sign decorations etc.

Another powerful new design tool is the multiple cross-section two rail sweep, which provides much greater control and freedom when building complex shapes from a series of cross-sections.

Any number of cross-sections can be linked with drive rails to form shapes that were impossible to construct in previous versions of ArtCAM Pro.

The swept 3D shape can be blended either linearly or smoothly between each section to give the desired form.

Examples where this functionality will be most suitable include shapes such as boat hulls, bottle forms, ring shanks or carved scrolls.

On the machining side, the new toolpath panelling command provides the ability to break up one or many toolpaths into panels to enable the manufacture of larger pieces despite a limited machine envelope or material size.

There is an over-cut option to ensure all the necessary material is removed around the edges of the pieces.

The panel sizes are simple to define and the software then post-processes the toolpaths automatically to the specified dimensions.

Two new options have been added to the bridging capabilities.

Firstly, there is now an option to place a bridge on the start point of the toolpath.

Secondly, bridges can be machined in a triangular shape rather than as a bar.

This new shape eliminates the vertical lift and plunge moves, and so allows faster machining.

These bridges are also easier to remove when hand finishing.

Finally the matrix multiplate template tool allows users to work with a base design and create multiple copies of that design with different information in each copy.

The template is able to load in and interpret information from standard spreadsheets and databases.

This function will be very useful for creating badges, signage, plaques etc, using the same design with a series of different names or numbers.

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